The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a system and method of controlling an EPL.
EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record.
Diagnostic and other functions must be performed by store personnel. Store personnel typically activate such functions locally. Some EPLs include push-button switches for this purpose. However, the push-button switches must be protected against customer activation. The push-button switches must be hidden from view or covered by a plastic casing.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method of controlling an EPL which does not employ a push-button switch.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method of controlling an electronic price label (EPL) is provided.
The system includes a computer which transmits wireless radio frequency messages containing functions codes and instructions, and a portable terminal which emits infra-red signals containing at least one of the function codes. The EPL receives the radio frequency messages, stores the function codes and corresponding instructions in a memory within the EPL, receives the infra-red signals from the portable terminal, determines the instructions associated with the function codes received from the portable terminal, and executes the determined instructions.
The method of controlling an electronic price label (EPL) includes the step of receiving a wireless radio frequency signal containing a function code and a corresponding instruction from a computer by control circuitry within the EPL, storing the function code and the corresponding instruction in a memory within the EPL by the control circuitry, receiving an infra-red signal containing the function code from a portable terminal by the control circuitry, and executing the corresponding instruction by the control circuitry.
The instruction may be any command required by a local operator, such as a command for viewing contents of a number of registers within the memory, a command for changing information displayed by the EPL, and a diagnostic command.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a system and method of controlling an EPL.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of locally controlling an EPL.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of locally controlling an EPL which causes an EPL to display its memory contents to an operator.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of locally controlling an EPL which causes an EPL to perform predetermined functions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of locally controlling an EPL which is an alternative to a system employing a push-button.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of locally controlling an EPL using an infra-red signal.